About Dr. Laura:
Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her passion for taking creative ideas and launching them into successful business strategies led her to start three counselling psychology practices (Calgary Career Counselling, Canada Career Counselling, and Synthesis Psychology), as well as six different business brands offering organizational assessment and consulting services.
Dr. Laura is honoured to have been selected as a Woman of Distinction in Canada in 2014 and received a Canadian Woman of Inspiration Award as a Global Influencer in 2018.
Episode Notes:
Dr. Laura offers essential insights for leadership teams aiming to create successful hybrid work environments. She starts by reflecting on the evolution of remote work, from the early days of teleconferencing and email to the widespread use of video calls. She also examines how leadership attitudes have shifted over time and why. Drawing on her doctoral research in Organizational Psychology, where she focused on virtual team leadership, Dr. Laura shares her deep passion for hybrid work. She also discusses the pushback employees experience when asked to return to the office without consultation, emphasizing that flexibility, autonomy, and trust are what drives employees to want to continue hybrid work.
As she explores the challenges of leading hybrid teams, Dr. Laura highlights the importance of clear objectives, adaptable policies, and unified team norms. She warns that rigid approaches can harm talent retention and advocates for leadership training specifically tailored to managing hybrid workforces, pointing out that many leaders haven’t received formal training in this area. Looking ahead, Dr. Laura calls for a balanced approach, urging leaders to prioritize trust, collaboration, and adaptability to meet the evolving demands of the workplace and tackle larger global challenges.
“Flexibility is a gift, and it’s a way of saying that I trust you and work still needs to get done. There’s no doubt about it, and a lot of research has shown, that people who are working remotely are 10% to 20% more productive; but again, they need to have clear outcomes and goals and great leadership.” —Dr. Laura
For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations:
Season 4 Episodes:
Episode 64 | The Generous Workhome: Boosting Your Wellbeing and Productivity
About Philip Vanhoutte: Leveraging a rewarding international career in the ITC industry, Philip Vanhoutte’s passion for personal productivity tools and communication & collaboration solutions morphed into a singular purpose: accelerating the realization of human...
Episode 63 | Philanthropy Through Fashion: Purpose, Planet and People
About Randi Seiff: Randi Seiff is a Creative and Strategist in one, with 30+ years of expertise in fashion & lifestyle, specializing in design, branding, & product development, building purpose-driven brands from concept to completion. Randi brings a unique...
Episode 62 | The Gift of Intuition in Our Work and Lives
About Dr. Laura: Bringing nearly 25 years of expertise as an Industrial/Organizational and Career Psychologist and pioneer on the future of work, Dr. Laura helps organizations evolve their cultures, and leaders and employees to thrive in their work and lives. She...
Episode 61 | Vitamin N: The Power of Nature in Work/Life Wellness
About Laura Cohen: Originally from Montreal, Laura is now based in Halifax with a 10 minute walk to the ocean. For the last 6 years, Laura has worked as a counsellor in universities, Employee Assistance Programs, and in private practice, including her own nature...
Episode 60 | Exploring the Human Side of Unconscious Bias at Work
About Tina Varughese: An Indo-Canadian daughter of first generation parents, Varughese says her cultural background allows her to find “the best of both worlds” and shed light, knowledge, and, most importantly, universal humor into the changing workplace. Her highly...
Episode 59 | Closing the Confidence Gap to Thrive in Your Career
About Kelli Thompson: Kelli Thompson is a women’s leadership coach and speaker who helps women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She has coached and trained hundreds of women to trust themselves, lead with more confidence, and create a career they love....
More Thriving Human Episodes:
Episode 96 | Trauma, Leadership and Consciousness: Why We Must Heal to Lead
About Kelly Campbell: Kelly L. Campbell (they/she) speaks and writes about trauma, leadership, and consciousness— ”The New TLC.” The author of Heal to Lead (Wiley, April 2024), Kelly is a Trauma-Informed Leadership Coach to emerging and established leaders who know...
Episode 95 | Listening to the Call to Live Your Most Authentic Life
About Tresa Gibson: Recognized for her unique impressionist style that balances colour and depth, Tresa’s work has been described as a simultaneous sense of order and chaos. She has been a thriving self-taught artist for over 14 years specializing in oil on canvas. ...
Episode 93 | Building Awareness of Child Sex Trafficking: How We Can All Make a Difference
About Alan Smyth: Alan Smyth is married and a father of two children and one grandchild. He is the Executive Director for Saving Innocence, an anti-human trafficking agency based in Los Angeles California. Alan has responsibility for Direct Services and Business...
Episode 92 | Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life
About Brigid Schulte: Brigid Schulte is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author. She was a staff writer at the Washington Post and Washington Post magazine for nearly 17 years, and part of a team that won the Pulitzer Prize. In addition to the Post, her...
Episode 89 | The Great Disconnect: Inability to Listen and Its Impacts on Workplaces
About Oscar Trimboli: Oscar Trimboli is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. Along with the Deep Listening Ambassador Community, he is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace....
Episode 88 | The Resilience Plan: Optimizing your Work Performance and Mental Health
About Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier: Throughout her career in business management and psychology, Dr. Pelletier has spearheaded the dialogue on the crucial issues of leadership resilience and work performance. Drawing on her extensive background in corporate, insurance,...
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